Your Survey Questions and Answers!
​
​
​
​
"How soon after concussion can you do treatment?
A. 24-48 hours, however you need to know that up to 2 weeks after a concussion they are very prone and vulnerable to get another. Ensure they have a drive and assistance to come and see you.
Is trauma referring only to physical trauma? And how would psychological trauma be recognized and treated.
"How does the inflammation, hematoma, of the brain affect the person's body and is there ever a full recovery, what are future effects?
A. Certain effects of concussion are life long with the greatest impacts coming from the worst concussions. But symptoms can be greatly reduced and the overall outcomes of those symptoms can be improved through treatment.
Trauma of any kind affects everyone differently, how could you address this?
A. We just treat the person not their trauma.
"In talking to other health care professionals , you can get different testing results within minutes of each other when testing for concussion. Because the brain is ever changing. How will we account for these changes and get the results we are looking for so we know where to go?
A. As with ALL RAPID, we treat regardless of tests and scans. We will be treating the pain, and the impacts of neuroinflammation on the central nervous system.
My concussion patients are being told that Botox is the best thing for their pain and healing but they are usually good for a few days then worse after. What do we say or do for them?
A. We will have new and specific protocols for addressing their headaches-which is why they are told to get Botox. Unfortunately Botox increases the neuroinflammation to the skull, and is often counterproductive.
I am very interested in the way horror/fear/chronic worry causes the fascial body to lock up?
A. Certain nerves are more indicative of fear -such as the spinal accessory nerve, think traps and SCM. If you imagine you are afraid, your traps will naturally rise. Safety is also at play, if the autonomic nervous system senses a safety issue, it will lock you up to protect you. It will also prepare you for fight or flight, with increased muscle contraction. So much of what we see is all of the above. The key is to know how to unwind it from a nervous system perspective and not a musculoskeletal one.
Why can some people deal with trauma better than others. (Siblings for instance that have been through same incident).
A. Everyone processes trauma different, depending on circumstances, interpretation of events, and how well they were able to process the event. What is traumatic to one person could be another's walk in the park. This is why we can never judge or assume.
Why do Concussions, no matter where in the brain, always seem to affect memory?
A. Concussions disrupt the intricate communication network among neurons, the brain's cells responsible for memory functions. This interference impedes both the creation of new memories and the retrieval of existing ones. Moreover, concussions trigger secondary effects such as inflammation, oxidative stress, and alterations in cerebral blood flow, all of which contribute to memory deficit.
Is there discussion about trauma & fibromyalgia?
A. Yes their certainly is. Fibromyalgia though having a genetic component is heavily influenced by traumatic events-bereavement or loss of a loved one being the most common.
A small percentage of people that don’t fall into the typical 7-10 day recovery period for concussions. Why do some people suffer with post-concussive syndrome? What makes their experience different? And what can we now offer as a potential new treatment?
A. About 10-30% of concussed individuals progress to post concussion syndrome. The reasons for this vary, however severity of the concussion, the amount of inflammation, and a history of previous concussions, migraines and other neurological conditions can play a part. For us the treatment will be the same.
Can we still do rapid on a concussion with a brain bleed?
A. No, not until the person is stable.
What kind of responses can we see in trauma triggers?
A. The most typical indication is a very atypical reaction of outcome of your treatment,
My biggest concern is that as I release inflammation due to trauma, what might their emotional response be. I am able to deal with mild limbic reactions but what will I be able to manage if the reaction is BIG?
A. Firstly, we will not be releasing inflammation due to trauma.
As far as limbic reactions go-the unfortunate fact is that any hands on therapy has the potential to bring out a negative emotional response in our clients. Which is why we need to be trauma informed and is the very reason for the creation of this course. Truth be told- we just are not taught how to deal with this in school and is another huge miss in our education.
Treating a client with trauma without backlash (them becoming more agitated or distrusting, tensing up and resisting even light pressure), how do I achieve that?
A. When treating clients with trauma, very often you will not know, but they WILL become agitated, distrusting an tensed up. This reaction to your treatment means that their nervous system deems you a threat. A good deal of our class focuses on reducing your threat level, and increasing the safety in your client so they never respond this way.
With concussions, can you please explain time windows and signs or symptoms as they align with or change treatment with Rapid NFR?
A. Unfortunately as with all RAPID treatments, every client is different. The biggest difference here is that the central nervous system(brain and dura) is more deeply affected than in simple musculoskeletal conditions.
Would the course explain how to treat different types of trauma and concussions. Would the course give "if every else fails" try this. But in every other course you have given this. So i am sure they will be in the subject matter.
A. As with all RAPID classes, we will go to the root of the issue which in this class the is nervous system and neuroinflammation.
Addressing old concussions/multiple concussions?
A. Old, new and multiple, all will be addressed. Our focus is to reduce the impact that they are having on the body.
​
Will we be able to recognize different trauma responses?
A. We will cover many of the presentations you will see in your treatment rooms. Many of which you likely have dismissed in the past as odd/weird/rude behavior.
Help this help with PTSD? Help with Sleep problems/seizures?
A. We cannot say it will as treating these conditions are out of our scope, however we will improve many of the underlying factors often involved in these conditions.
As a massage therapist, are we even "allowed" to say we treat "trauma"?
A. No, and we won't say it either. We are treating the biological aspects underlying trauma, not the trauma itself. Psychologists now believe that trauma is stored in the biology -the nervous system, which is something we do treat.
​
Concussions: I always wonder about brain bruising and the brain being stuck in a cock-eyed position. How do we know either of those issues are present and how do we address them.
A. We do not, we simply treat the underlying processes, such as inflammation, dural tension, and the pain.
Would there be a difference in treatments for old vs new concussions? (Concussion from years ago vs one that happened days ago). With multiple concussions over years you can see change in people’s emotional states and in their personality sometimes, would this help possibly prevent those things from happening?
A. There is slight differences in the treatments for old and new concussions, and one versus multiple concussions, but all will address the neuroinflammation in the head, of which is a huge factor for the personality changes that happen from concussion.
My question has more to do with how to approach what I call the victim mentality. They use the trauma to identify themselves. It's like a badge of honor. Then, they almost enjoy all the attention of going to a dozen different specialists, while complaining about going to them. "Dr said I'm not going to get any better... It kinda goes with the mentality that they must be in the worst shape of anyone you've ever treated. I just find that these clients are standing in their own way to actually moving beyond the trauma and giving themselves the space to heal. But getting them to shake free of these thoughts is so difficult. I honestly believe they do want to be well but just are just stuck. Are they still in somewhat of a freeze response? Or, is it rooted more in a underlying concept of not deserving to be pain free? Some sort of psychological guilt/shaming concept? Or maybe all of the above?"
A. We are certainly going to discuss recognizing those who are not ready to heal, as well as recognizing "yellow flags" in patients. Yellow flags are psychological factors that are holding your client is a state of "brokeness". Recognizing these factors can save therapists a lot of headaches, discomfort and time.
​
​
I have treated a number of MVA clients who suffer from both trauma & concussions. Is there a technique that addresses both trauma & concussions at the same time?
A. Yes, treating the ANS and the concussion together will have positive effects on both, and in fact are the same treatments for trauma.
​
Does a concussion keep nervous system up regulated . Stressed ?
A. Yes is absolutely does. Concussions dysregulate the ANS and keep the body in a constant fight or flight state.
How can concussions cause TMJ instability and how can we reteach our patients about perceiving pain differently after trauma? (Example: My patient thinks she has a failing organ every time she gets back pain) "
A. Concussions affect the nerves of the skull, which often translate into jaw dysfunction, although many factors are at play here- these factors can include, stress and anger too.
How do we help with the brain fog that seems to linger post concussion? My son had multiple concussions and those, along with other things I'm sure, have altered his personality; How can we help with that?
A. Both brain fog and mood and personality changes are the result of neuroinflammation and a dysregulation of the ANS, We will treat both.
Are there different protocols to follow depending on where the impact trauma is that causes the concussion? front or back impact vs side?
A. No there are not.
When you say trauma, exactly what type of trauma are we treating?
A. Both physical and psychological, but all translate into the biological body that we treat.
How to measure an individual's metabolic capacity after trauma so as not to exceed this during initial treatments. How to initially determine the person's neuro expression from trauma and what aspect dominates that presentation.
A. We will not be measuring this as this is the role of their primary care physician and requires access to PET scans and MRI's.
Fibromyalgia is said to be caused by unresolved childhood trauma. All my clients with this are hyper sensitive and I can potentially put them into pain flares. How do I either prevent this or help them accept the pain flares should that happen? Most of my EDS clients have POTS, MCAS, and PMDD. Can we do anything for these?"
A. Yes we can help these people by utilizing many of the techniques we will be covering in class.
Since people’s trauma is so vast and sometimes they aren’t aware of how deep seated it goes- what are the contraindicators for clients so we don’t leave them in a super vulnerable state?
A. The contraindications and safeguards are covered in the class.
How do you address concussions and trauma as effectively as possible without overtreating the client and scaring them away or under treating them making them feel like the treatment wasn't effective?
A. We cover how to recognize and alter treatment, to ensure you are not overwhelming the client.
​
If treating whiplash with concussion (like with almost all whiplash also being concussion and vice versa or with MVA's) which should be the main focus to treat - the potentially full body pain, or the concussion?
A. The concussion will yield the greatest results, however we still need to address the inflammation and pain in the body.
What testing or protocols should we be following for concussion treatment to get a differential "diagnosis"/clinical impression to ensure it is truly concussion related when it isn't same day or within 1 week of the mechanism of injury?
A. We would not be looking for this, just like we employ very little orthopedic assessment. We would however treat the symptoms, regardless of the diagnosis.
How do we talk to local doctors about how we can help their concussion and trauma clients to help them get on board with utilizing our services instead of them giving clients high dose muscle relaxants and pain meds?
A. This is not covered in the class, but it would be a great discussion in our live get togethers.
Is it ever too late to start treatment?
A. Never to late, however delayed treatments, lead to longer need for treatments and poorer outcomes.
Baseline testing for return to normal?
A. We will not be employing this as it is up to their PCP if they are ready to play.
What is the quickest way to bring down inflammation in the brain?
A. RAPID and light exercise.
How do we get people to trust us when they have been suffering long term with a concussion or Trauma for that matter,, Ease their concerns of we are only going to make it worse..
A. As with all RAPID, it often takes a certain level of desperation to come to see us. If we are educated and trust this process, it is easier for us to lead our clients into what we deem to be the most beneficial for them. We will discuss this further in the class.
When someone has a lot of trauma in their life and they aren’t ready to let go of some of it, can we really help them fully?
A. We can never drag someone out of anything, but we can put inputs in to their nervous system to try and gently coax it out. Even then-some are not ready and may never be, These people however are very unlikely to get on our table-ever.
​
Why can I help some people with concussions and some I can’t seem to figure out?
A. Just like with the other conditions we treat, we just need some more education to be better equip to have a greater success across the board.
When you are asking about trauma, I'm assuming that this can mean any type of trauma - like PTSD, emotional trauma, physical trauma. Of course it all ties into the nervous system as "trauma".
Are there different ways to address the different types of trauma that someone has experienced? Or because it is all related to the nervous system, is it a similar treatment for any type of trauma?
A. It is actually fairly similar.
If a person has had several concussions (gymnast for example), what is the probability of relieving her symptoms with RAPID?
A. The probability is very high to have a reduction and marked improvement in their symptoms.
How has technology changed recovery during the Initial stages of a concussion ( ie blue light, stimulation of eye movement) ( remember when we were kids and you recovered no light, just rest etc) there are a lot of young adults who are still consuming blue light while recovering.
A. This is something we did not research.
How are the eyes affected with it comes to trauma and concussions ?
A. The eyes are the first to warn of danger, as they try to right us towards our predator or threat. The eyes are also innervated by the ophthalmic division of the trigeminal nerve which also innervates the dura. This connection makes them heavily affected by concussion, and also an important place to treat.
What are the biggest contraindications regarding treatment within the first few days of injury?
A. One of the biggest considerations is the limiting of anything that exuberates the symptoms, within the first 24-48 hours.
​
Scope of practice (trauma)?
A. We are not claiming to treat trauma or trying to council our clients on their trauma. Our work is to help therapists become trauma informed and use this knowledge along with the physical and psychological inputs of our touch and interactions with our patient's to help them in a much more effective way.
How would you test for concussion or trauma? How would you retest after treatment?
A. We do not test for either of these. Most people are fully aware that they have had a concussion either recently or in the past. The key in our work is to recognize the importance of all concussions and be able to offer effective treatments for them. A retest would be subjective improvements.
How long do the side effects of a concussion last after impact? Doctors will tell people 3-6 weeks of no sports with no rhyme or reason.
A. Side effects totally depend on the nature and severity of the concussion. as well as the persons metabolic state. Doctors err on the side of concussion because the effects of a TBI essentially last forever.
​
It’s difficult for people to understand trauma sits in our tissues for years, how do we help our clients to understand their pain may be due to trauma from 20 years ago for example?
A. We would not explain this to them as it would be outside our scope of practice. Our role is to treat the tissues to help alleviate the both the physical and the psychological aspects.
Is stored trauma in other areas of the body directly related to the long term effects of the concussion? Or do they happen independent of one another? Second to that, once the post concussion symptoms wear off, what is the best location to check for any further "blisters" that could cause the symptoms to recur later?
A. A lot of the issues elsewhere in the body are directly related to previous concussions. It is our thought that concussions are one of THE most significant blisters in the body due to their impact on the CNS, and the safety issue that they create withing the ANS. The best place to look for further blisters would be the dura, the coccyx, the ANS and the skull directly.
Are there specific protocols of treatment for the different levels of symptoms or different levels of seriousness regarding trauma or concussion?
A. There are specific protocols, however they only differ between trauma and concussion- regardless of seriousness.
​
Are there any nutraceuticals, supplements, diet & exercise protocols to help the healing process of trauma & concussion?
A. Yes there are. These are discussed in the class.
Does PTSD or mental health fall under Trauma? Will there be a 1 time magic touch to release a concussion?
A. PTSD and mental health struggles are very closely related to trauma, and can be caused by it. There are no magic resets, however in true RAPID fashion, we will be a lot faster than most.
How do you know where to start first?
A. As with all of our treatments- knowing where to go first is a mix of client complaints, history, mechanisms of injury and an understanding of what we are trying to accomplish in the body.
​
​
​
​
What is the difference between a concussion that happened years ago, vs a concussion that happened yesterday?
A. The difference is in recovery and symptoms. Acute symptoms that are life encompassing vs chronic odd and unusual symptoms that are annoying and seemingly unrelated. Acute symptoms require more rest and care, and chronic symptoms require more aggressive tx to flush and protect against future remifications.
How much gut health can affects concussions and trauma treatment?
A. We did not study gut health. However we did look at metabolic health.
​
Does previous trauma/PTSD ( "Sometimes concussion could be undetected or neglected. For example from childhood. Let’s say we have 40yo adult who had head trauma with loss of consciousness when they were 4-5yo but parents never go to doctor. Is it possible to detect if head trauma affected their development or life quality? "prior to concussion) influence the course of symptoms and treatment of concussion?
A. Curious question. Previous trauma/concussion, would indeed influence a new traumatic event or concussion. The issue is that the ANS is highly impacted by safety events, and the CNS is highly impacted by concussions. This double whammy is what is preventing a lot of our clients from getting better from other issues.
Does this trauma include considerations for veterans who have been involved in explosions/severe impact? Does this result in an escalated pain response/healing crisis initially?
A. It would include PTSD from explosions. Again though, we are treating the bodily complaints that we always do, with an appreciation and education of being trauma informed. If you did know that your client suffered from PTSD and the mechanism was from explosions or severe impact, you could alter your treatment and specifically treat the ANS and CNS to offer the greatest change to the nervous system-which would be of the greatest benefit for them. If you did not know, (perhaps they were not forthcoming in their history) you could still offer the same tx with similar results. The difference is that after this class, you will be able to recognize many of the signs that would be indicative of something greater going on. With or without the discussion or knowledge of the PTSD.
I believe what we have long assumed is an escalated response/healing crisis would be from our manipulation of inflammation and neuropeptides.
​
How do we manage this expectation with clients who have PTSD/chronic pain and fear an increase in symptoms?
A. We cover this extensively in the class, because those with fear and heightened sensitivity need to be cared for quite differently than our average clients. This highlights the importance to know and recognize the difference.
Sometimes concussion could be undetected or neglected. For example from childhood. Let’s say we have 40yo adult who had head trauma with loss of consciousness when they were 4-5yo but parents never go to doctor. Is it possible to detect if head trauma affected their development or life quality?
A. I don't think it is obviously possible to detect, however, we should be able to have a very positive impact on them and any other issues they are having, and even issues that seem totally unrelated. We have seen this in class in fact. Students who have profound experiences, that they later attribute to a concussion that they remember later on. We have seen this with vision issues, cognitive impainments, dyslexia, headaches, and many musculoskeletal condiditons.
Is treating a concussion similar to treating a migraine in that it might make it flare up or worsen the symptoms before it clears? How often can we expect to see that situation?
A. It could happen, because we are stimulating the inflammatory cycle.
Dura mater release?
A. We will have treatments and assessments for the dura.
Tricks on how to calm down ANS in acute, subacute and chronic phases.
A. We have treatments for all.
What kinds of trauma could these protocols treat? Post surgical? MVA? Breaks/fractures? PTSD?
A. We will discuss the different causes of trauma. The curious thing is that the body processes and stores trauma the same regardless of cause. Therefore the treatments are the same.
​
How would we best help a patient feel safe during and after treatments when uncovering deep trauma?
A. Our intention is not to uncover deep trauma. Our intention is to apply manual techniques to treat the physical/biological aspects of trauma. As with any manual therapy, occasionally deep seated trauma can come to the surface during treatment, this will be discussed as will strategies to increase safety and keep our patients safe before and after treatment. This highlights further the need to become trauma informed.
Will the patient have enough tools/strategies to take home with them to deal with more emotions when they surface?
A. We emphasize the importance of support for our most vulnerable clients. But again, we are not intentionally bringing out trauma and emotions.
I see most trauma as not only physical but most times a mental block that the client won't/ can't let go so they can address the physical issue, how do I bypass or help the client let the mental block go? Or just give them hell and hope for the best..
A. Give em hell! lol Just kidding, We will employ many different techniques, to help our patient's get past their mental blocks.
​
Would I treat a trauma induced headache differently than a stress induced headache or migraine, ie different protocols, etc.
A. They would be mostly treated the same, but now we will have a few more protocols to tap into the system. The good news is that these same protocols will further increase our migraine successes too.
When someone doesn’t want to share their trauma or doesn’t want to give you the whole story, how do you know do you know where to start?
A. We absolutely do not need the whole story to be able to help. Just like in musculoskeletal issues, the body will give you clues. Now we will simply have the clues for trauma considerations. By knowing these clues, we will be better able to treat all of our patients.
​
Does it make a difference how old that trauma is? More specifically, is it harder to treat “old” trauma vs new/newer trauma?
A. Unfortunately it can , in that childhood trauma is much more impactful. Studies show that childhood trauma is more detrimental than brain injury.
How to release trauma from the body? Will the techniques used for trauma and concussions also benefit migraines?
A. Yes the techniques will further improve our success in treating migraines.
Variations of how to ask questions of trauma and concussions to dig deeper?
A. We do not need to dig deeper. Digging deeper, can in fact cause more trauma. We need to treat the physical body which is storing the trauma. Proper treatment and tapping into the nervous system effectively, helps to release the stored experience. This free the body, and the expereince.
​
Ive been taking Rapid for a year now, and just a month ago I realized that I have had 2 concussions as a kid, i had totally forgotten about or didnt realize they were concussions. When to know to stop and know we may not be able to help this person? Cues? "
A. We cover this extensively in the class.
I sometimes get co fused between migraine and concussion treatments. I haven't reread the manual for those so that could be a "just me" thing. With trauma I don't always know how hard to push. I'm very intuitive but sometimes I struggle with "how much do I do" Very excited for this new course! "
"I have a couple clients that intellectually understand they are stuck in flight or flight, but can’t move beyond that — they are still frozen, not getting into thawing. One in particular has releases afterwards that he considers “flare ups” and is hesitant to have me doing my usual protocol with jaw and head and concussion, regardless of ANS reset or vagus stuff and breath work (all of which has been successful for many other clients). How can I better approach this scenario? I would also love more information about treating vagus nerve with the ear and tragus if possible!"
A. We have a lot of protocols and strategies for further treating the vagus, to affect the ANS, but more importantly we have new protocols to impact the other parasympathetic and sympathetic branches of the ANS.
How to get the nervous system to respond when it’s in an all over state of panic?(I run into this quite often where the clients whole body is hypersensitive and they can’t pinpoint pain)
A. This is one of our most asked questions in our classes. Regular RAPID protocols can be far too much for these people. In this class we discuss strategies to desensitize the nervous system, bring the ANS to safety, and be able to use graded exposure to be able to effectively tap into their nervous system to treat their pain. One of the most important things to note here is that this is often a trauma response. Being able to recognize this and switch your focus to the proper treatment is the most important thing to be able to help these people.
I deal with so many concussion relating to hockey. What will make this class different compared to taking rapid upper and rapid 4?
A. This class is different because we will be specifically treating the neuroinflammation caused by the concussion.
Can we treat too much or too quickly with trauma and/or concussions?
A. Yes you can, which is why we developed this class.
​
What are the protocols for safe return to competitive activity with a concussion?
A. The best safest return to play would be at a full asymptomatic status. This should eb deternined my a medical professional.
Will there be problems with our associations in Alberta for this course?
A. We do not forsee any issues with this course, because we are still doing soft tissue manipulation, from a trauma informed perspective. We are not doing talk therapy, or trauma releases.
​
Will there be any natural progression for prerequisites to take this course?
A. This class in ONLY open to our most elite RAPID Therapists who have completed 3 or more classes.
Is eliciting pain ever contraindicated? especially when someone was painfully traumatized.
A. The elicitation of nociception could be contraindicated in someone who has trauma, however, it is very likely the most vulnerable would not seek out therapy. That being said it highlights our need to be able to recognize this in people.
​
When someone is going limbic, does the session end? Is there any going back? is it ok to let them leave if they try?"
A. Yes typically it does conclude the session. Unless there is mutual agreement to continue.
What are the contraindications for doing this type of treatment? Can this be used for autistic children that are considered head bangers?"
A. The contraindications are the same they have always been, however there are specific considerations that may alter treatment. The treatments are beneficial for ALL neurological conditions.
What is the best way to release trauma that’s been stored in the body?
A. Although this is not our intention, addressing the biology, has many positive effects on psychology.
​
How does emotional trauma lead to physical pain and/or psychological conditions, (what’s the connection from a biological perspective, specific conditions, mental health, treatment). Are a lot of conditions that we see in complex patients more about structural trauma and could be treated without medication etc. but manual therapy instead?
A. This is a loaded and complex question that is completely covered in the class,
​
How do we know who to trust with regards to new information regarding concussions? There's this one company ( i can't remember what the name was) who said concussions are caused by brain neuron stretching and concussion symptoms are an energy depletion problem. If they develops post concussion syndrome- then that's when the neuroinflammation occurs. When would Rapid come into play? Would it cause more issues during the acute phase. Any info on spinal cord injuries would be useful to know too!!
A. The most reputable would be the one with the most research and scientific backing. We strive for this in all of our work. RAPID addresses the neuroinflammation and would come into play 24-48 hours after the injury. Neuroinflammation happens in both the acute and post concussion phases. RAPID could increase the symptoms but not issues.
What is the quickest way to get rid of their brain fog?
The quickest way to get rid of brain fog is to treat the neuroinflammation by targeting the ANS.
​
How can we tell if a patient might have trauma that they're not telling us about or don't even know they have?"
A. There are many cues that people give that are indicative of a past traumatic experience. Our job is to recognize them and treat appropriately, without a discussion.
​
Concussions: how to eliminate pain and recurring migraines from ligament laxity in the neck?
A. The best way to treat ligament laxity is through stimulation of the ligaments with regular RAPID protocols to the ligaments.
​
Concussions - how to get the neuromuscular connection back online after head trauma/scar tissue reverts back to core turning off? Does that makes sense?!
A. The shut down of neural drive is caused when the brain senses instability. Treating the head and ANS specifically, will address this most of the time as in this case it would be the most likely blister.
​
Trauma - how to regulate the nervous for more than a day post Tx?
A. You need to address the ANS and neuroinflammation.
​
​
Why does trauma tend to stay with the body even after years and years of "healing" ?
A. This happens because in the case the nervous system, healing is not a matter of time or will. The nervous system needs to be addressed. and unfortunately it rarely ever is.
What is an assessment we can do that can determine if a concussion is still lingering and causing issues.
A. Ongoing and sometimes obscure symptoms are our best assessment
How can we help someone with severe light sensitivity and nausea?
A. Addressing the ANS, specifically the ophthalmic division of the trigeminal nerve in case of light sensitivity, and specifically the vagus nerve for nausea.
​
How would you deal with multi-impact concussions?
A. We would just appreciate that these have caused repeated insults into the nervous system., and are likely more impactful.
​
Can previous mental/emotional trauma aggravate the symptoms of a recently sustained concussion?
A. Yes and visa versa.
What physical or mental exercises if any can heal the brain after concussion?
A. We will discuss these in the class, however our focus is on manual inputs.
​
What is the clinical testing for concussion and post concussion symptoms?
A. The clinical testing employs neurological, cognitive, balance and symptom assessments performed by a medical professional.
How can RAPID help trauma and can it help without the client having to talk about it all? And for new trauma or really old traumas or both?
A. RAPID helps address the biological aspect of the traumatic event. We can and do do this without talking about it- unless the client wishes to do so. We have to appreciate that talking about trauma, can retraumatize the person, which is why we would never initiate this dialogue. This is the same for all trauma- new or old.
Why does it seem like concussions take forever to heal?
A. Because rarely is the aberrant neuroinflammation addressed and most of the concussion knowledge is scientifically out of date, yet still practiced.
​
What can we do as therapists to help facilitate faster healing for our clients.
A. Get the nervous system to assist.
Contraindications? Any seizure protocols?
A. Contraindications are the same as always. As far a a protocol for seizures go, the protocols to treat neuroinflammation do have a positive effect on those with seizures. However we need to be careful here as this is out of our scope.
What outcomes can we expect to see regarding trauma, concussions, and depression and or addiction related effects.
A. The best possible outcome is to have a positive effect in your client's overall wellbeing, which should include reduced adverse symptoms.
​
I know in my heart of hearts we will have outcomes - how do we measure/track them?
A. The best way is in the reductions of negative symptoms.
Will this help with trauma of loss of limb?
A. The nervous system is indifferent based on the type of trauma, trauma is trauma. Our job is to have a positive affect on the nervous system, based on specific physical inputs.
Is there more home care for clients who are stuck in fight or flight, or frequently thrown back in to it due to their trauma - more than just deep breathing, longissimus coli / digastric release, and the ANS reset / tapping or grounding.
A. Yes there are, many, many exercises, most of which can be measured.
Concussions paint a quick picture, so I’m assuming trauma is to the head as well? Are we discussing physical trauma, emotional trauma, both?
A. It could be anywhere and is not limited to the head. Physical, and emotional.
A client has a snowmobile accident over 30 years ago. It left him with severe whiplash. After a session he does well for about 10 days. Then the debilitating pain comes back. He goes to chiropractor and an acupuncturist, which has help a lot. He has had several pain episode on my table, it is awful to watch. He's drenched in sweat, his neck and upper back muscles seize up. It actually looks like he is experiencing the accident all over again. To date the only thing that I can do for him that helps is the scapular wing out stretch and J-hooking his anterior serratus muscles. Is it possible that his sympathetic nervous system is still reacting to the accident?
A. This is exactly an adverse ANS response. Your job has to be to address this reaction before you will make any gains whatsoever with them.
Not sure what trauma entails exactly. Emotional, physical? I don’t get clients with concussions at all."
A. All of your clients have experienced a significant bump to the head, and this blister needs to be addressed as it is impacting the entire body.
Is inflammation from concussion something that truly ever completely subsides or will it be something that needs continuous work?
A. Unfortunately concussions and their aftermath do have a lifelong affect on the body. However, they do not need to be treated continuously, we can address them to very good resolution. but what can happen is that a new adverse life event, injury or trauma occurs which will indicate more work due to the symptoms being exacerbated or the creation of new odd seemingly unrelated symptoms.
The main point here is that we need to be addressing the skull, ANS and CNS far more than we ever have before. We know that the lack of intraabdominal pressure puts a great strain on the CNS, and the aftermath of concussions is far worse.
Bonus question-how do you dance around potential negative trauma based reactions to treatment around trauma?
A. We have protocols, exercises, mental health and medical referrals, hotlines and (worst case) 911. However we have to understand that these reactions can be a biproduct of any touch therapy, and could happen in absolutely any session. The most important thing is that we are educated to understand and better deal with any situations if they happen if we are trauma informed.
In our Upper and Lower classes, rarely do our students know how to help someone who is having a limbic reaction prior to our teaching them- this is something we all should know and be well versed in when dealing with those who are in pain. Again this is one of the purposes of this class.
What is the correlation between multiple concussions and severe chronic migraines, if there is one?
A. There absolutely is -both are neurological conditions caused by neuroinflammation.
Does emotional trauma have long lasting ailments that show up as physical effects?"
A. It can yes. The most common condition that we see this in is Fibromyalgia.
​
How do I decipher who is not able or safe to do trauma work? What is worst case scenario?
A. We don't do "trauma work", our focus is to address the physical body under the umbrella of being trauma informed, so that we can recognize those who may not be suited for our work but still be able to offer them alternative treatment that will progress them forward. Worst case scenario is that we can't recognize those who need alternative treatments and treat them anyway and they have a terrible adverse outcome.
How can I more effectively treat traumatized patients to get the best - and most long-lasting - results?
A. The answer is to address their ANS, get their nervous system to safety by reducing threats, and then prepare them for treatment so that they can have the best results. This work really will categorize some clients and start their therapy from where they are vs where we want them to be.
​
How can I most safely treat traumatized patients - making sure that I don't re-traumatize them either through my actions, speech, or treatment?"
A. A great place to start is to recognize their needs and where they are at and then begin treatment with them from there. Another important thing is that we don't talk about their traumas, as that is retraumatizing. We need to treat the physical aspects of trauma and not the trauma itself.
How can you treat brain injury? What does recovery look like? How soon are clients active again?
A. Yes we do and have done a fair amount already. Recovery looks different for each person, but we have seen huge gains even 13 years post stroke.
Is it possible to get back to "normal"? I have many people I help with symptoms but no lasting change.
A. What is normal really? We just have to appreciate that the body holds all of the unfortunate experienced events in the nervous system, and this "memory" is a tough one to alter.
Will dural trauma be covered?
A. Yes.
​
I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. It's easy.